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With five new general partners on board, the company, formed as the result of the merger of Farrell's and Northwest Office Supply in January 1998, is rich in experience. Currently, Northern Business Products operates three facilities serving the Duluth, Cloquet and Ashland business communities.
Both Farrell's and Northwest Office Supply were locally owned, family-run businesses that provided knowledgeable, personalized service. Last year, an opportunity presented itself to merge the two companies.
Mike Sundberg, the former principal of Northwest Office Supply, credits Dan Eggen for initiating the talks that lead to the merger. Eggen, who had worked for A&E Office Supply and Farrell's before joining Sundberg as a partner of Northwest Office Supply, saw an opportunity for the two business product suppliers to gain strength through joining forces. "Jack Farrell wanted to keep it local, and that has been the key to this whole process."
Farrell's two sons, Mike and Jim, are general partners in the new Northern Business Products (NBP) venture and were brought up believing in the power of local business. Mike Farrell, NBP's director of inside operations, said,...